Method for planning and/or configuring a project

Abstract

A method for at least one of planning and configuring a project, which represents an automation device (4) for controlling a technical installation. The project data required for the at least one of planning and configuring the automation device (4) can be stored in an engineering system (2). The at least one of planning and configuring of the project is simplified by subdividing the project into a number of partial projects (Tp1, . . . ). The partial projects (Tp1, . . . ) are at least one of planned and configured on different programming units (13, . . . ) that are interconnected. Data records (18a, . . . ) are centrally stored that indicate which partial projects (Tp1, . . . ) are actively connected to which programming units (13, . . . ). These data records (18a, . . . ) can be read out by the programming units (13, . . . ).

Description

[0001]This is a Continuation of International Application PCT / DE03 / 00610, with an international filing date of Feb. 25, 2003, which was published under PCT Article 21(2) in German, and the disclosure of which is incorporated into this application by reference.FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]The invention relates to a method for planning and / or configuring a project, which includes an automation device to control a technical installation. The project data required for planning and / or configuring the installation is stored in an engineering system. The invention further relates to an engineering system for planning and / or configuring a project.[0003]Such a method is known in the related art from Siemens catalog ST PCS 7, chapter 1, issue 2001. A process control system for controlling a technical installation has an engineering system, which is provided, in particular, to configure hardware and / or software components, to design communication networks, to design continuous an...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The present invention provides a method and system for simplifying the planning and configuring of projects using an engineering system. The method involves dividing the project into multiple partial projects, which can be planned and configured on different programming units. The data of these partial projects can be stored on the programming units on which they are planned and configured. The system also allows for the easy transfer of data between programming units, improving performance during simultaneous planning in a multi-user operation. The decentralization of the project data also simplifies error handling and facilitates the handling of new versions of partial project data. The system includes a means to indicate which programming units are currently connected to the engineering system, making it easy for designers to see which project data of other programming units can be accessed. Overall, the invention improves the efficiency and flexibility of the engineering system."

Problems solved by technology

Because the project data are centrally stored, they can be very voluminous depending on the complexity of the automation device.

Furthermore, during planning in a so-called multi-user operation, particularly if many designers simultaneously compete for access to the centrally stored project data via the network, substantial performance problems and long response times may occur.

These planning steps are prone to errors, and the handling of the data and subsequent correction of the total project data is labor intensive.

Furthermore, matching the engineering data of the automation systems, the control and monitoring systems, and the batch systems can only be done in the context of the total project data.

This matching is usually very time consuming and involves a project-wide interruption of the planning work.

Images